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The small red-haired cub had spent a large part of the day exploring in the hopes of finding something, anything to eat. It was hard being on your own at such a young age, but he had managed so far. The youngster had been so preoccupied with his task that he had failed to notice the dark clouds looming ominously in the sky overheard.

A rumble of thunder forced him back to his senses. At first thinking it was the sound of his stomach he didn't think anything of it. That is until a sudden flash of lighting followed quickly by another boom of thunder made him jump several feet and a startled yelp escaped his small body.

The cub's ears flattened and he sank into the grass, hunching over as he looked nevously at the dark clouds he had just finally noticed.

Unfortunately, it was too late, and before he could think or do anything else the sky tore open and the fury of the rain poured down on him.

"great...."

Could this day get any worse?

In a little cave only big enough for two or three cubs that he'd found, Zimwi jumped awake as he heard the rumble of thunder. Peeking out, he saw the rain come pouring down. Orange eyes looked around before he spied white amid the rain. White... Like him! Scrambling out, he started for the other cub, the rain washing away the mud from the entrance to the small cave. In the rain with his snowy pelt, he looked like what he was called - a spirit.

Juhudi sighed heavily, his chest moving with his breath. Already thorougly drenched he wondered for a few moments if it was even worth looking for shelter, but then he remembered the danger of lightning strikes. Musting his strength, he stood upright and started to walk, searching for someplace safe from the storm.

The rain was blinding, made even worse as his drenched mane clung to his forehead and dripped stinging water into his eyes.

Something made him stop dead in his tracks. His nose twitched and he thought he saw movement somwhere ahead of him. Though he couldn't see well, he knew something was there. But was it friendly or a predator stalking him? If it was the latter, it was too late to escape now.

He steeled himself and continued forward, praying that whatever was there was friendly, but vowing to be a difficult meal if it wasn't.

Getting closer, the pale cub didn't notice the brown on the other quite yet. Or if he did, he thought it was some really clingy mud. "Hey... Come get out of the rain..." Okay, he couldn't see TOO well... His stoney hair was in his face too much.

Juhudi stopped dead in his tracks, ears swiveling forward at the sound of the voice, barely audible over the defening downpour of the rain.

He crouched for a moment, ready to run or fight if need be, eyes straining to see more than just the white blur ahead of him. He shook his head in the hopes of seeing better, but it was no use, he was too drenched.

Finally he took a deep breath and, swallowing hard, decided to take a chance (if it wanted to eat him it wouldn't have offered shelter would it?) The cub ran foward, torward the white shape, his paws splashing in the puddles and mud with each step.

Ears flicking a bit to get the water off them, and out of the feathers in them, Zimwi stopped to wait. When the other cub came into sight, though, he realised... THat wasn't mud... But it was a cub caught in the rain, and he couldn't just LEAVE him out there. Trying to get water out of his face, he called "This way, I found a cave..."

As Juhudi drew closer he could finally make out the form of the white cub and, realizing it wasn't a predator, breathed a sigh of relief. Slowing to a trot, he finally came to a stop in front of the other cub.

His ears flicked at the words, his heart quickening a bit at the thought of shelter and nodded before following the white cub.

"Thanks."

Swallowing his fear of brown lions, Zimwi led the other cub to the cave. Crawling in, he shook himself off, the dangling feathers dancing as he did so. Glancing back, he said "I'm Zimwi.."

Juhudi waited for the other cub to enter the cave before following him inside. He took a moment to look around, it was small, but it was dry, and that was more than enough.

He looked up Zimwi through his dripping mane and smiled lightly in thanks.

"Hi, I'm Juhudi. Thanks for letting me share you cave. I dunno what I'd have done if you hadn't. Guess it was stupid of me to get caught in the rain."

Juhudi was thoroughly drenched, soaked down to the skin. The water flowed through his fur to drip in small puddles at his feet. He shook from head to tail, flinging water all over the cave. He started to push his mane from his eyes, but stopped in mid-motion as it occured to him that shaking water all over his host's cave was not very good manners.

"Oh...sorry, I didn't mean to get your house all wet."

The pale cub shrugged. "I'm only staying here for a little bit.." He sait down, eyeing the other cub a bit. He was wary of others, but... This cub was partially white, which made him alright. Maybe that was why Zimwi trusted him to come into his temporary home.

"Oh, okay."

He flopped down, laying right in the water he had just shook off, but his belly was too wet to really notice. He reached up with his paw and again tried to push his mane out of his eyes.

He shot a goofy grin at Zimwi and then rolled onto his back, batting playfull at something above him, probably a tuft of fluff or dust that only existed in his imagination.

"Well I'm glad you let me stay here anyways."

Zimwi watched the other cub curiously, then asked "What's your name...?" Orange eyes tried to see what the other was batting at, but seeing nothing, he looked back at him.

Juhudi tipped his head to look at the other cub, grinning at the upside down view.

"Huh? Oh, my name's Juhudi."

He batted once more at the invisible object before lowering his paws, tucking them against his chest.

Shifting, the pale cub nodded. "Nice to meet you, Juhudi.." He glanced out the cave entrance at the rain, sighing a bit. "It'll be coming down for a while..." Laying down, he curled up, tail covering up his nose just a bit.

Juhudi followed the other cub's gaze and looked outside as well. From the safety of their shelter, he found the rain oddly facinating and he watched it for several moments before speaking.

"Yeah, I guess so."

He yawned and rolled onto his side before curling up against the chill that ran through him. He had been very wet after all and now he was feeling a bit cold.

There was no hunting for food in this weather, so maybe it was time to fullfill another necessity. He yawned again and allowed his eyes to fall closed.

Tilting his head, Zimwi got up and crept over, curling up against Juhudi. One thing he missed about his brothers and sisters... Sharing body warmth when they were cold. Letting out a rare purr, he fell asleep.

Juhudi stirred and shifted in his half-asleep state instinctively snuggling into Zimwi. He sighed contented, a faint smile crossing his face before gently nuzzling the other cub and falling soundly asleep.